African Nationhood

Mata Region, Gweru Town, junior primary school English class.

Most of the students in English classes are students of British, German, Boer and other white ethnic groups.

Their courses are different from other classes. Their Chinese classes and English classes are both special editions.

Because there are two official languages ​​in South China, one is Chinese and the other is English.

Among the white ethnic groups in South China, there are more Germans than British, but English is the international language.

Other minor languages ​​such as German, Portuguese, Dutch and Russian are not used in study and work.

White students must learn both languages, which results in them having to work hard to learn both languages.

In secondary schools, Chinese becomes a compulsory language and English can be taken as an elective.

……

Seeing that it was almost 12 o'clock, Tom Tarrant's mind had already gone outside the classroom. His parents were British immigrants who came to South China to prospect for gold in the early years.

As the relationship between South China and the British Empire became increasingly tense, they settled down in South China.

His father was a regular employee of the South Western Railway, while his mother looked after the children at home.

My father's salary is enough to support the family, he can take time off during holidays, and there is a bonus at the end of the year.

Life here is comfortable and stable, better than in the UK. At least I don't have to suffer the squeeze of long working hours and there are no holidays.

The family first lived in Tongzilou. Later, after their father won a certificate for his hard work, the family moved out of Tongzilou.

My father relied on a loan to buy a small courtyard in a building. Some of the small courtyards cover an area of ​​500 square meters. They can play in the courtyard and grow some vegetables like their Chinese neighbors.

The climate in Matabeleland is very good. As long as you sow once, you can harvest almost all year round.

……

As their brothers and sisters grew up, their mother also began to do some handicrafts at home. For example, help the street factory sew some trouser legs, or paste some matchboxes.

This can help families save some money to buy stationery such as exercise books and pencils for their brothers and sisters, or to buy some snacks.

After school, he would rush home to help his mother take care of his sister, or go herding sheep with his brother.

These are jobs that boys of their age can help share at home.

"Dangdang~~~"

When the bell rang for the end of get out of class, Tom Tarant packed his schoolbag and planned to rush home to help his mother with work.

His mother made an agreement for him, and he would get 5 cents for every day he worked for her.

Five cents can rent a little book for a day, buy a piece of candy or a chili stick, and buy two glass beads.

That's all they boys need.

But the Chinese teacher did not leave when the bell rang. Instead, he put down the textbook and picked up the teaching stick.

"Dong Dong~"

"Don't move, let's see who dares to move!"

The Chinese teacher is also their class teacher, so what these elementary school children fear the most is their class teacher.

“Why are there still a few students who haven’t turned in the questionnaire I asked you to take home?
Those who have not paid stand up. "

When Tom Tarrant heard the teacher's words, he immediately put down his schoolbag and stood up quickly.

"Glenn, why didn't you pay?"

This is a fat boy. His father is a manager of a company, so he eats relatively fat.

Glenn's fair face made his eyes look small because he was too fat. When he was asked a question by the class teacher, he instinctively shrank his head.

He replied intermittently in English: "Yes, I'm sorry, Teacher Wang. My father thinks that Chairman Shi is better as the chairman of the committee and should not be the emperor. He thinks this is wrong!" Teacher Wang was not angry when he heard this, but was calm. Asked: "Your father's opinions only represent his own, so do you think so too?"

Glenn thought for a while and finally replied: "I, I don't know."

Teacher Wang smiled and asked, "What did your father do before?"

"He used to be an engineer and now he is a department manager of the company."

"Can you tell me what your family lived like before?"

"Our family lives in a bungalow, which is very hot during the day and night. Now we live in a building."

"Well, that's right. When South China was still a British colony, your father could only be an engineer.

When our South China Dominion was established, your father became the department manager.

Your family used to live in a bungalow, but now they live in a building.

Who brought these changes to your family? "

Glenn thought for a moment and continued to answer: "Chairman Shi."

"Chairman Shi has brought you so many good conditions, why can't he be the emperor?
You go back and ask your father, why couldn't the Queen or the King give him a good life when he was a British subject?
In the South China Autonomous Territory, under the leadership of Chairman Shi, his life has been greatly improved. Why can't he respect Chairman Shi as the emperor? "

Teacher Wang's question frightened Glenn so much that he didn't know how to answer.

"Okay, when you go back, call your father and ask him to come to school. I will ask him personally."

Glenn felt a little more relaxed and said, "Yes, teacher."

Teacher Wang looked at Tom Tarant, "Tom, why didn't you hand in the questionnaire?"

Tom Tyrant was much smarter than Glenn. "Teacher, I lost my questionnaire. Can you give me another copy? I will not lose it this time."

Teacher Wang glared at him when he heard this, then pulled out the desk drawer, took out a questionnaire and handed it to Tom Tarrant.

"Send it over tomorrow. If not, call your parents over."

Tom Tarrant smiled and nodded, "Yes, Teacher Wang."

Teacher Wang asked the students who had not submitted the questionnaire one by one. The smarter ones would imitate Tom's provocation, and the honest ones would say that their parents did not agree.

These students who disagree have to ask their parents to come to the school to explain the situation. If the school cannot convince them, the next step is the leaders of their work units.

The order issued by the cabinet to governments at all levels is: the work of white citizens must be completed, and those who cannot do it will not hold their official positions.

……

Tom Tarrant returned home gloomily.

When his mother saw him coming back, she pointed to her crying sister and said, "Tom, help me take care of your sister. I need to get these matchboxes out as soon as possible."

Tom looked at his mother's tired face, his mouth opened, but in the end he didn't say anything.

Half an hour later Tom's brother, Thomas, came back.

Tom handed his sister over to his mother, and he and his brother, Purple Sheep, went to the pasture outside the village to graze the sheep. They had to feed the sheep before dark.

Both brothers had something on their mind, so as soon as they left the house, Thomas told his brother about the teacher's questioning.

"Brother, what should we do? Dad has never agreed to support Chairman Shi as emperor."

Thomas frowned, "Why don't we write it ourselves? Regardless of whether Dad agrees, Chairman Shi will be the emperor, so we can agree."

The two brothers discussed it for a while and decided to help each other fill it out.

Anyway, they are both British, and their Chinese writing is ugly. As long as they don't say it, others will not know that it was their brothers who wrote it. (End of chapter)